Longcheng's grip over the four surrounding nations grew ever tighter, and its leaders now set their sights on replicating that same model with the United States.
America's geographic position was extraordinarily blessed. Add in the whole of North and South America, and you had a land even more vast and abundant than the Central Plains. Desolate as much of it still was, once Longcheng developed it, the harvest would be staggering beyond imagination.
The first move was economic control, with Peach Garden Bank as the vanguard, steadily displacing the dollar. Then came Longcheng's countless products — send those fine goods across the ocean and ordinary Americans would go wild for them. Finally, spread the message of brotherhood: yes, we are yellow, and you are black and white, but none of that matters. Preach it for a few decades, wash the minds of a few generations, and America would become an inseparable part of Longcheng. Join Longcheng — look at the benefits Longcheng citizens enjoy; once you're in, you'll never want for food or drink for the rest of your life.
America was, after all, a country that had just shattered its old order and stood ready to embrace a new one. Longcheng could shape it however it pleased.
And so, step by step, America sank into becoming Longcheng's dependency.
With the wealth of the Central Plains joined to that of the Americas, controlling both was tantamount to controlling half the world.
…
The first World Athletic Games and the World Cup were held in Longcheng and Xinguang City respectively. Germany lifted the World Cup in the end. The inaugural World Athletic Games featured a total of 108 gold medals, and the British Empire, leveraging its vast number of client states, topped the medal table.
The people of Longcheng couldn't care less who came first or second — the fact that it was hosted on their soil was all that mattered. That, as they say, is what true standing in the world looks like.
In truth, Longcheng's population was still small — barely five million — dwarfed by any nation you cared to name. So they hadn't won many medals at all. Even the four neighboring nations had more golds than Longcheng.
After that, the nations of the world settled into a phase of peaceful and harmonious development. Longcheng, riding its technological superiority, continuously extracted raw materials from other countries, then sold back finished goods at double the price.
The plan to bring America under control was proceeding smoothly. The Longbi had already become America's sole legal currency. And by now the Longbi was an international currency as well — any nation trading with Longcheng had to pay in Longbi.
No Longbi? Then sell us your resources and stockpile our currency!
Over the following decade or so, overseas colonies around the world began declaring independence one after another — encouraged, naturally, by Longcheng pulling strings behind the scenes through America and the four great powers. The number of nations grew steadily, from the thirty-eight that had attended the first United Nations conference to more than seventy, and the count kept rising.
Clamoring for independence had, it seemed, become a trend.
Yet among the territories under Longcheng's influence, such stirrings were rare. Longcheng had genuinely brought advanced civilization to these places, genuinely poured investment into local construction, and genuinely made the people there happier with each passing year. Unlike the other great powers, whose only thought was plunder and dumping — who could fail to love a Longcheng like this?
Even people in the most remote and backward corners of the earth held obtaining Longcheng citizenship as the ambition of a lifetime. And Longcheng was willing to give them that chance!
Of course, the occasional schemer would try to stir things up from the shadows — but more often than not, the first faint signs of trouble were reported by locals themselves. The informants, rewarded for their contribution, received Longcheng citizenship, emigrated, and lived out their days in quiet contentment. Those they reported on could never obtain Longcheng citizenship for the rest of their lives and spent their years drowning in regret.
So none of Longcheng's territories ever rose up for independence.
The European colonies, meanwhile, were kicking up a fuss one after another. Some had barely finished declaring independence before they came running back to petition Longcheng, begging to become Longcheng dependencies instead.
What a spectacle.
As more and more colonies slipped from their grasp, the wealthy European powers looked at the situation and panicked. Their colonies were gone — how were they supposed to go on living like lords? The international atmosphere grew tense once more.
The European Union was formed.
The great powers of Europe had finally come together.
Five years after the EU's founding, they launched outward aggression again, intent on reclaiming their former colonies. America, Longcheng's four neighboring powers, and little Japan were drawn into opposition against them, and the Second World War began. Oh, and the Russians of the Asian continent were pulled into this side as well, tempted with promises that victory would mean a share of the colonial spoils — empty promises, of course.
Longcheng maintained its customary posture: it would never fire the first shot. But it could offer support from behind the scenes!
The European powers were formidable. At one point they pushed into the Central Plains, fought their way into Japan, and pressed deep into the American continent. Yet they could never fully destroy these governments — not without destroying Longcheng first. And that they dared not attempt. Even knowing Longcheng was propping up their enemies, their calculation remained: finish off these others quickly, and then who would Longcheng's support have left to reach?
The war dragged on, grinding through eight long years.
At last, sustained by Longcheng's unceasing support, the EU was defeated. Dismembered.
Longcheng's banking system moved into country after country, gradually stripping each of its monetary sovereignty. Within a few years, the Longbi had truly come to rule the world.
Then came unified weights and measures.
Then the spread of Mandarin.
One step at a time, the world was drawn together into a single small village — a global village where every soul knew happiness.
【Congratulations: Population has reached 100 million. You have received a Mystery Gift Package.】
【Acquired: Controlled Nuclear Transmutation Technology.】